Why is the meaning of kanji 閑 “leisure”?












7















The kanji 閑 contains 門 + 木.
Why does gate + tree mean 'leisure'?










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    7















    The kanji 閑 contains 門 + 木.
    Why does gate + tree mean 'leisure'?










    share|improve this question



























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      The kanji 閑 contains 門 + 木.
      Why does gate + tree mean 'leisure'?










      share|improve this question
















      The kanji 閑 contains 門 + 木.
      Why does gate + tree mean 'leisure'?







      kanji etymology






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      edited 20 hours ago









      Mathieu Bouville

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      user32763user32763

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          The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



          「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





          • Space is now written as「間」


          • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


          「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




          The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).







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            7














            閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



            Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



            In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).






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              2 Answers
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              2 Answers
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              13














              The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



              「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





              • Space is now written as「間」


              • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


              「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




              The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).







              share|improve this answer






























                13














                The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



                「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





                • Space is now written as「間」


                • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


                「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




                The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).







                share|improve this answer




























                  13












                  13








                  13







                  The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



                  「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





                  • Space is now written as「間」


                  • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


                  「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




                  The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).







                  share|improve this answer















                  The word meaning leisure was originally written as「閒」.



                  「閒」depicts moonlight「月」streaming through a door「門」, indicating the original meaning crack, space. This was extended to mean free time, leisure.「閒」is no longer used, so:





                  • Space is now written as「間」


                  • Free time, leisure borrowed the identically pronounced character「閑」.


                  「閑」is a compound of a wooden obstruction「木」blocking a door「門」, indicating the original meaning fence, railing, obstruction. This meaning is no longer used by the character「閑」, so there is no confusion as to what「閑」means.




                  The word representing the original meaning of「[閑]{げん・かん}」(Zhengzhang OC: /*ɡreːn/) is cognate to「[欄]{らん}」(/*ɡ·raːn/; handrail) and possibly「限{げん・かん}」(/*ɡrɯːnʔ/; boundary, limit).








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                  share|improve this answer








                  edited yesterday

























                  answered yesterday









                  drooozedroooze

                  5,07911931




                  5,07911931























                      7














                      閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



                      Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



                      In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).






                      share|improve this answer






























                        7














                        閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



                        Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



                        In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).






                        share|improve this answer




























                          7












                          7








                          7







                          閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



                          Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



                          In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).






                          share|improve this answer















                          閑 is a compound ideogram composed of a gate latched shut with wood. And it meant something like door latch or fencing originally.



                          Eventually, the meaning of spare time or leisure was borrowed from another kanji that has the same reading, 間. This was pretty common in the history of kanji, for kanji with the same reading to just pick up meanings from each other. So you can't always look at a kanji's elements and just assume there was some intent to express the modern meaning with pictures.



                          In Japanese, it basically only retains the adopted meaning and associated concepts, like tranquil (as seen in 閑散, 森閑) or negligent (as seen in 閑却, 等閑).







                          share|improve this answer














                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer








                          edited yesterday

























                          answered yesterday









                          LeeboLeebo

                          644129




                          644129






























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